K Sudhakar.
Credit: PTI Photo
A day after Union Home Minister Amit Shah cracked the whip on dissent, Yelahanka BJP MLA S R Vishwanath hosted the party’s Chikballapur candidate Dr K Sudhakar for a breakfast, in presence of Karnataka Lok Sabha incharge Dr Radha Mohan Das Agarwal, on Wednesday to show all’s well.
This crucial meeting comes a day after Shah had a meeting with Vishwanath in presence of BJP state president B Y Vijayendra and Dr Agarwal on Tuesday during which Shah had directed Vishwanath to host a breakfast while Agarwal was tasked to take Sudhakar to Yelahanka MLA’s house.
Vishwanath told reporters that he would ensure Sudhakar gets a solid lead in Yelahanka Assembly constituency. “Though I was upset over not getting a ticket but was never angry with the party or any of my leaders. It is also a known fact that I was not happy with Sudhakar and his style of functioning when he was the minister in our party’s government and the way he behaved with me,” he explained.
“During the course of discussion with party leaders, Shah had instructed Agarwal to take Sudhakar to my house for breakfast. Accordingly, I hosted breakfast and will also attend his nomination filing and public rally in Chikballapur,” he explained, signaling that he has brokered peace with Sudhakar.
Vishwanth asserted that no leader will be paradropped in Yelahanka to monitor the election work and if any work has to be done, it will have to be done through him alone. “I have made it clear that no outsider will be given any authority in my constituency. I am going to form a BJP-JDS coordination committee in Yelahanka and this committee will be in charge of taking decisions,” he insisted.
When asked about his son Alok’s political future plans, Vishwanath claimed that Sudhakar has agreed to give up the Chikballapur Lok Sabha seat in the next elections in his son’s favour and that his son will be preparing ground work from now on.
Meanwhile, Sudhakar said Yelahanka MLA Vishwanath joining him has given him the elephantine strength ahead of his poll campaign and a big boost to his chances. “I have assured him that I will not hurt him anymore in any manner,” he said and added that Vishwanath has given him unconditional support.